The New England Patriots are officially 97 days away from kicking off their 2019 season. New England’s two-decade run of dominance is unparalleled in sports, especially during the salary cap era. After winning three Super Bowls in five years, it’s easy to overlook some of the underrated contributors to the early parts of the dynasty. Jarvis Green wasn’t quite as good as guys like Richard Seymour or Ty Law, but he was still a key piece to two championship defenses and is the best 97 in New England Patriots history.
98 Days to Kickoff: Trey Flowers
97 Days to Kickoff: Jarvin Green
Life Before New England
Green was born in a Donaldsonville, Louisiana on January 12, 1979. Playing football for Donaldsonville High School, Green became one of the school’s brightest stars. Green spent four years on the high school football team, earning Class 3A Defensive MVP as a Senior. His play was impressive enough to earn him a spot on the Louisiana State football team.
Green spent four seasons at LSU, quickly turning himself into one of the best pass rushers in school history. Immediately making an impact, Green set a freshman record by recording eight sacks in 10 games in his first year.
Green initially joined the Patriots as a fourth-round pick in the 2002 NFL Draft. Playing in 15 games as a rookie, Green earned a starting spot along the defensive line late in the season. New England went 9-7, just missing the playoffs, but Green performed well during his first year in the league, recording 2.5 sacks, 21 tackles, and one tackle-for-loss.
Green built on his promising rookie campaign and blossomed into a larger role player during the Patriots’ 2003 championship season. During the regular season, Green recorded two sacks, 17 tackles, and three tackles-for-loss while playing in all 16 games. However, the defensive end saved his best work for the postseason. In the 2003 AFC Championship Game, Green recorded six tackles while taking down Peyton Manning for 2.5 sacks. His performance was a big reason New England managed to make it to their second Super Bowl in three years.
Green remained in New England for the next six years, playing in a grand total of 121 games. During his eight-year Patriots career, Green recorded 28 sacks, 232 tackles, and 24 tackles-for-loss. Mostly utilized as a role player, Green had a fantastic two-year stretch from 2006 to 2007. Over the course of those two seasons, Green recorded 14 sacks, 72 tackles, and nine tackles-for-loss.
Green left the Patriots following the 2009 season to sign a four-year, $20 million deal with the Denver Broncos. However, Green’s career with the Broncos ended before it really began. Despite his lofty contract, the eight-year NFL veteran didn’t make the team out of camp. Green spent the majority of the 2010 season out of football before landing on the Houston Texans late in December. Signed as an emergency depth piece following an injury to Mario Williams, Green didn’t even play a snap with the Texans.
Life After Football
Green retired following the 2010 season, choosing to go into the shrimping business. Along with a friend, Green founded the Ocean’s 97 shrimp wholesale company. Per his website, Ocean’s 97 is nation-wide shrimp distributor with shrimp “wild caught from the Gulf of Mexico by U.S. Gulf Coast fisherman”. Back in 2018, Green revealed that he had offers to go into broadcasting or coaching following his retirement. However, the two-time Super Bowl champion chose a life outside of football and appears to be making a successful living out of it.
98 Days to Kickoff: Trey Flowers
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